The Labour Party has taken a swipe at Nationalist MEP David Casa, who said his hosting of persecuted Turkish journalist Pelin Ünker was betrayed by his attempt at forcing the disclosure of confidential sources.

Labour said Casa lacked credibility when speaking on the freedom of the press, after his defence lawyer – Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi – used a defamation lawsuit to extract the name of the source that alleged Casa had a cocaine problem.

The questioning, immediately refused by the court hearing the lawsuit filed against Casa by Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi, was intended at asking witness Saviour Balzan, the managing editor of MaltaToday, who had alleged that Casa had a cocaine problem.

Casa was sued for libel by Mizzi over comments he gave to MaltaToday in response to allegations that he had misrepresented his European office expenses; in his replies he claimed Mizzi was “pocketing” allowances intended for paying the